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with exhortations]

CHAP. XXV.

23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

25 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.

28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

CHAP. XXIV.

[to the study of wisdom.

30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction,

33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. (B)

CHAP. XXV.

THESE are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

EXPOSITION.

(B) Cautions against envy and fretfulness; with exhortations to the study of wisdom-The first caution here, is against being envious of the prosperity of the wicked, against which the wise man's father had so well argued in the beginning of the 37th psalm. Solomon argues, that wisdom is riches, and strength, and power. It builds the house, and stores it with true wealth; and is even the best defence in war, because it furnishes able counsellors.

But wisdom is out of the reach of fools, who are not able to open their lips before the elders and wise men in the gate of the city, where they were wout to assemble.

"The thought of foolishness is sin.”This is a maxim that requires some explanation. Solomon's fool is not a simple, well-meaning man; but one whose heart is corrupt, and his actions stained by immorality; his thoughts, therefore, arising from a corrupt heart, and leading to such immoral conduct, must be sinful, and no doubt tainted with infidelity.

The two following precepts (ver. 11, 12.) are, as Melancthon remarks, evidently addressed to magistrates, or persons of in

fluence, who are forbidden to connive at injustice and violence; with the assurance that the Most High will not connive at them. (See Ps. lxxxii.)

"

The remark (ver. 16.) that " a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again," has occasioned some controversy; and though it be true indeed of moral failures, (for there is no man that sinneth not,' 1 Kings viii. 46.) yet that does not appear to be the sense of this passage, as we infer from the context, wherein the wicked is warned not to lay wait for the righteous; for though he may succeed in his villainy for a time, he shall finally be punished. The righteous may fall under his power time after time, but he shall rise again; but when the wicked fall, he falls into utter ruin. (See Note.)

The close of the chapter contain's one of the most beautiful pictures over drawn by the pen of Solomon, that of the Sluggard; and the best commentary on it that we have seen, is Watts's iuimitable hymn,

""Tis the voice of the Sluggard, I heard him complain," &c.

which is, or ought to be, learned by every child in the three kingdoms.

NOTES.

Ver. 20 The candle-Marg. "Lamp." Ver 21. Given to change-Heb. "Changers." Ver. 25. A good blessing-Ileb. "A blessing of good."

Ver. 2. That giveth a right answer-Heb. "That answereth right words."

Ver. 27. Prepare thy work-that is, fit the timbers together, before thou raise them.

Ver.32. I considered it well-Heb. "Set my heart on it." Ver. 34. An armed man — Heb. "A man of (or with) a shield."

CHAP. XXV. Ver. 1. Which the men of Hezekiah copied out.-Mercier (a celebrated Hebræan of the 16th century) has cited a curious tradition from

Proverbs collected by}

PROVERBS. [the scribes of Hezekiah.

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:

7 For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not the secret to another:

10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not

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of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him : for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

of

17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house: lest he be weary thee, and so hate thee.

18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat ; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink :

22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the house top, than with a

NOTES--Chap. XXV. Con.

the Talmud, that Hezekiah and his scribes wrote, i. e. "copied out," the books expressed by the mystic word JiMShoK; viz. Isaiah, Proverbs, Canticles, and Ecclesiastes.

Ver. 3. Is unsearchable Heb. "There is no searching;" meaning, that the thoughts of a king's heart are as inaccessible as the heights of heaven, or the foundations of the earth.

Ver. 4. For (or " to ") the finer to be made into any form he pleases.

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Ver. 5. Take away, &c. Removing the wicked from before the king, is compared to taking away the dross from silver.

Ver. 6. Put not forth, &c.-Heb. "Set not out. thy glory," &c.

Ver. 7. For better, &c.-Luke xiv. 10.

Ver. 8. Lest, &c.-that is, lest thou be conquered. Ver. 9. A secret-Rather, " The secret," namely, the cause of debate.

Ver. 11. A word fitly spoken-Heb. "A word spoken upon the wheels;" alluding to the manufacture of pottery, Jer. xviii. 3.-Apples-or citrons. See Sol. Song, ii. 3. — In pictures - Bp. Lowth, "Net-work " Dr. Hodgson and Mr. Holden, "Baskets" of silver.

Ver. 13. As the cold of snow.—Mr. Harmer says, the Hebrews and other Orientals use snow to cool their wines in summer. Instead of" cold of snow,' Dr. Hunt and others, read, "a vessel of snow." See Harmer, vol. ii. 156, (Clarke's Ed.) and Orient. Cust. No. 208.

Ver. 16. Eat so much-So much only. Boothroyd, "Only what is sufficient."-Lest thou be filledBp. Lowth, "Lest thou be satiated therewith, and nauseate it."

Ver. 17. Withdraw thy foot - Marg. "Let thy foot be seldom in thy neighbour's house."

Ver. 20. As vinegar upon nitre-Not the substance we call nitre, (which mixes with vinegar) but natrum,(the nitre of the ancients)which, being an alkali, (somewhat similar to pearl-ash) ferments with acids. Ver. 21. If thine enemy, &c.-See Rom. xii. 2, Ver. 23. Driveth away rain-Marg. "Bringeth forth rain," and travellers inform us that this is the fact in Judea. See Holden's Notes in loc, and Orient. Lit. No. 842. If we admit the marginal reading of this clause, so must we of the next, which is, "So doth a backbiting (or secret) tongue an angry countenance;" which gives an easy and consistent sense, and is adopted by the best modern translators.

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CHAP. XXVI.

Sundry observations upon] brawling woman and in a wide house. 25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. 26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. (C)

CHAP. XXVI.

AS S snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for

CHAP. XXV.

[fools, sluggards, &c.

the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool, cutteth off the feet and drinketh damage.

7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.

EXPOSITION.

(C) Proverbs collected by the scribes of Hezekiah.-Solomon, we are told, spake 3000 proverbs, little more than a fourth of which are preserved in the sacred Scriptures; and these were probably gathered from the minutes of learned and pious men, at different times, and inserted in the first four parts of this general collection. Those in this and the four chapters following, appear not to have been added before the time of Hezekiah, whose scribes and learned men (among whom the seers and prophets are to be reckoned) appear to have taken pains to collect the genuine remains of David and Solomon, and to insert them in the books of Psalms and Proverbs: for neither all of one, nor of the other, were collected at the same time, or by the same persons. The observations contained in this chapter, are chiefly politi

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cal and civil, addressed to princes and rulers; and some of them are clothed in very beautiful figures: as, for instance, the following: "A word fitly spoken," or a parable or figure well wrought up, (alluding to the manufacture of pottery on the wheels) is compared to "apples (or citrous) of gold, in basket (or net) work of silver," in which the fruit and the vehicle, the sentiment and the language, mutually set off each other.

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NOTES.

Ver. 26. A righteous man falling down-Holden, erring" Parkhurst, "sliding;" Boothroyd, “offending;" the meaning is, that a religious character fing into immorality, grieves his friends, and disraces his character; just as dirt and rubbish, thrown into a fountain, defile and render it useless.

Ver. 27. It is not good.-See ver. 16.

Ver. 28. Is like a city... broken down;—that is, he is thrown off his guard, and exposed to danger.

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Drinketh damage Marg. "Violence." read of "drinking wrath," Job xxi. 20.

or ex

So we

Ver. 7. Are not equal-Heb. “ Are lifted up;" i. e. one shorter than the other. So we speak of a bad rhyme, or imperfect simile, as lame or halting.

Ver. 8. As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, (to throw it away) so is he, &c.—that is, the honour is thrown away. The margin gives a quite difierent sense, but it is generally rejected.

Ver. 9. As a thorn, &c. The meaning seems to be, that a fool is no more fit to handle a parable than a drunkard is to handle a thornbush, which requires great ca:e.

Ver. 10. The great God.-This is variously translated, but the common version is preferred by Holden, Boothroyd, &c.

Observations on fools,]

PROVERBS. [sluggards, and busy bodies.

11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the

streets.

14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. 18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death;

goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within

him;

25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? 20 Where no wood is, there the fire mouth worketh ruin. (D)

28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering

CHAP. XXVI.

EXPOSITION,

(D) Sundry observations upon fools, and sluggards, and busy bodies.-The first is easy of exposition. "Snow in summer, and rain in harvest," are unexpected and injurious; so is "honour" conferred upon a fool. The next is more difficult: we conceive it to mean as the sparrow is made to wander, and the swallow (or dove) to fly, so is it the nature of a malediction to fall upon the head at which it is aimed: but as neither can the sparrow, nor any other bird, either fly or fall without our heavenly Father's knowledge, (Matt. x. 29-31.) so neither can the curse of an enemy alight upon us, without his permission.

The 4th and 5th verses have been supposed contradictory, but are only enigmatical. To" answer a fool according to his folly." is, in the first instance, to give a foolish answer, and make ourselves like him; but, in the second case proposed, to

answer a fool according to his folly, is to give such an answer as his question deserves, in order to convict him of folly, and prevent his being "wise in his own conceit."

In the subsequent parts of the chapter occur several pithy remarks on the conduct of the fool, the idler, and the sluggard; characters very nearly allied, and almost equally detestable. The slothful, in particular, stays away from his work under the pretence of some imaginary danger, and turus from side to side, like a door upon its hinges, without resolution to rise. When he is up, his first concern is to eat yet when he dips his hand into the dish, so idle is he, that it grieves (or wearies) him to put it to his mouth. (See chap. xix. 24.) Yet so opinionated is he, that he fancies himself" wiser than seven men that can render a reason:" and when he is enraged, he acts the madman, and throws about firebrands, arrows, and death," in pretended sport.

NOTES-Chap.

Ver. 17. A dog by the ears-that is, a strange dog; for dogs in the East run wild, and are not domesticated, as with us.

Ver. 18. Firebrands-Heb. " Flames, or sparks."
Ver. 20. Where no wood is-Heb. "Without wood,”
Ver.22. Innermost parts.-See chap. xviii. 8.

XXVI. Con.

Ver. 23. Burning lips. Professing the most atdent friendship.

Ver. 25. Speaketh fair-Heb. "Graiusly." Ver. 26. Hatred, &c.-Marg. "Hatred is covered in secret;" (but) "his wickedness," &c.

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BOAST not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.

4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

[presumption, &c.

14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

16 Whoso hideth her, hideth the wind; and the ointment of his right hand which bewrayeth itself.

17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall

5 Open rebuke is better than secret eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth love.

6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

:

10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off. 11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

on his master shall be honoured.

19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.

22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food

NOTES.

CHAP. XXVII.Ver. 4. Outrageous-Heb. "OverAowing "Before envy-Marg." Jealousy." The Hebrew includes both.

Vet. 6. Deceitful-Marg. " Earnest, or frequent." Ver. 7. Loatheth-Heb. "Trampleth upon." Ver. 9. By hearty counsel - Heb. "From the counsel of the soul."

Ver. 21. So is a man to his praise-that is, " as the fining pot and the furnace test the precious metals, so is a mano tried by the praises bestowed on him. If he can bear them without injury, his character may be pronounced sterling.

Ver.22. Though thon shouldest bray (or pound) a fool in a mortar.-We learn from Knolls' History

of the Turks, that such a barbarous punishment has been employed among that cruel people; but we have no proof of its high antiquity, and much doubt its being here referred to.

Ver. 23. Look well-Heb." Set thy heart to." The state-Heb. "The face;" i. e. the appearance. Ver. 24. To everu generation-Heb. "To generation and generation."

Ver. 25. The hay-Boothroyd, "The grass shooteth," &c.

Ver. 27. Goats' milk-is in some cases preferred to cow's milk. Orient. Cust, No. 1033.-Maintenance-Heb. "Life."

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